Industrial fork lift truck



Oct. 8, 1963 w. F. GEHRING INDUSTRIAL FORK LIFT TRUCK Filed Aug. 23, 1962 URI INVENTOR WlLLlAM F. GEHRING ATTORNEYS Oct. 8, 1963 w. F. GEHRING,

INDUSTRIAL FORK LIFT TRUCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1962 Ill-XII I ll'Il-l-llullll LIIF INVE NTOR WILLIAM F. GEHRING ATTORNEYS A 8} m H Oct. 8, 1963 w. F. GEHRING INDUSTRIAL FORK LIFT; TRUCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 25, 1962 ATTORNEYS Oct. 8, 1963 w. F. GEHRING INDUSTRIAL FORKLIFT TRUCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 23, 1962 INVENTOR WILLIAM F. GEHRING ATTORNEYE tor.

3,106,305 INDUSTRIAL FORK LIFT TRUCK William F. Gehring, 2525 E. Crawford Ave.,

Milwaukee, Wis. Filed Aug. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 218,925 9 Claims. (Cl. 214-730) from either side as welllas from the front, so as to eifec-,

tively decrease aisle widths in warehouses and the like, to increase storage space in a given area. It is also highly desirable to produce a simple, lightweight, but rugged structure, which can be associated with an industrial truck at a minimum cost;

It is therefore, one of the primary objects of my invention to provide a simple and strong structure embodying a minimum number of operating parts and motors,

whereby to effectively reduce initial and maintenance costs and one which can be easily controlled by the opera- Another salient object of my invention is to provide a carriage mounted for travelling movement, through the United States Patent O useof a single motor, back and forth on a main plate,

which is in turn fixed to the lift elevator of the truck, the carriage supporting a swinging boom or arm movable by a single motor parallel with the carriage and main plate at either side thereof or at any angle to theplate and carriage, and. the outer end of the boom or arm in turn carrying for swinging movement at any angle, through the use of a singlemotor, the lift fork, so that said fork can bequickly and easily manipulated transversely of the truck and at any angle relative to the truck at either side thereof, whereby a load can be picked up or deposited from either side of the truckg-in front of the truck or any angle relative to the front of the truck.

Another prime object of the invention is to provide a novel and effective means for mounting the carriage on the main plate forits travelling movement and a novel means including a single endless chain for driving the carriage back and forth.

y A further important object of the invention is to provide a rugged boom or arm structure and a novel means for mouting the boom on the carriage for its swinging movement. l t

r A still further object of the invention is to provide novel means for mounting the fork on the outer end of the swinging boom so that the fork. can be swung to any desired angle on said boom.

With theseand other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand formation of parts, aswill be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings, 1 t

FIGURE 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 11 of FIGURE 2, looking inthe direction of the arrows, and showing my improved device mounted on the front end of an industrial lift truck; l

, FIGURE 2 is atop plan view with parts broken away and in section, showing my lift fork attachment connected with the front endof an industrial lift truck, the parts of the view being shown in section taken on theline 2',.2 ofFIGUREd, looking'in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view partly broken away and infsectionshowing the improved forklift truck; and a equipment detached from the truck, the view showing certain positions of the fork for side delivery or pickup.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my improved fork lift attachment for an industrial lift truck T.

The industrial lift truck'T can be considered as of a type now on the market and includes the wheeled chassis 5 having a front elevator 6. The .front elevator 6 can include side channels 7 which receive the rollers 8 for the lift. 7

My improved fork attachment A comprises a main or mounting plate which extends transversely across the machine and this plate is fixed to the truck lift or carriage. As shown, the main plate 10 has welded or otherwise secured thereto rearwardly directed brackets 11 which carry the rollers 8.

Rigidly secured to the main or mounting plate 10 adjacent to its upper and lower edges, are guide tracks 12 and 13. These tracks can be channel beams or weldments. As best shown in FIGURE 1, the guide tracks 12 and 1-3 face in opposite directions and open outwardly. Carried by the guide tracks -12 and 13 and plate 10 is a travelling fork carriage 14, which is strongly built and can include a frontwall 15 and rearwardly directed top and bottom walls :16 and 17, which extend over the guide tracks 12 and 13'. The top and bottom walls 16 carry a plurality of inwardly directed rollers 18 and 19 which are received for free rolling movement in the guide tracks 12 and 13. To further aid in the free travelling movement of the carriage 14 back and forth the front wall 15 carries rearwardly extending upper and lower rollers 20 and 21 which roll on the inner faces of the guide tracks. The upper rollers can be mounted for vertical adjustment and hence the upper rollers 20 are carried by brackets 22 and the shafts 23 for the rollers not only extend through the brackets 22 but also through verticallyextending slots 24 in the front wall 15. The shafts 23 can be provided with lock nuts 25 for holding'the rollers 20 in a set position. Adjusting and feed screws 26 are carried by the front wall 15 and bear against the brackets. ,By turning the screws 26 the brackets 22 can be fed upwardly. The screws can be rotated in a reverse direction and the brackets moved down by hand.

A simple means is provided for feeding the carriage back and forth acr-oss'the' main or mounting plate, and this 7 means can include an endless sprocket chain 27 trained over end sprocket wheels 28 and 29 located adjacent to theopposite ends of the mounting plate 10 and between the guide tracks 12 and 13. The sprocket 28 can be considered as the drive sprocket and the sprocket 29 as an idler sprocket. Hence, the sprocket 29 is mounted on a shaft 30 for free turning movement and this shaft is carriedby bearing brackets bolted, as at 31, to the main or mounting plate 10. The drive sprocket 28 is keyed or otherwise secured to the out-put shaft 32 of a motor 33 which can be of any desired type; however, I prefer to provide a rotary fluid operated motor 33 and one in which the direction of rotation can be reversed.

One stretch of the sprocket chain 27 is rigidly secured to a bracket 34-fixed1tothe carriage plate 15 and when the V The carriage 14 carries for swinging movement a boom or arm 35. The boom can be in the nature of astrong castingand embodies a front plate 36 and rearwardlyextending top and bottom walls 37' and 38. The rear ends of these walls at their upper and-lower corners carry bearings 39 and these bearings are rotatably mounted on a vertically disposed supporting shaft 40. The shaft 40 V [is supported on the front wall 15 of the travelling carcorresponding parts riage 14, and this front wall can be provided with forwardly projecting arms or brackets 41 for receiving and supporting the shaft. Mounted on the top wall 37 of the boom are reversible fluid operated motors 42 and 43. The motor 43 is employed for bringing about the swinging of the arm or boom 35 on the travelling carriage and its out-put shaft 44- carries a drive sprocket wheel 45. Trained about the drive sprocket wheel 45 is a sprocket chain 46 and this chain is also trained about a large sprocket wheel 47 bolted or otherwise secured to the upper corner bearing 39 of the arm or boom. Thus, it can be seen that upon the energizing of the motor the sprocket chain 46 feeding around the sprocket wheel 47 will pull and turn the sprocket wheel and carry the boom therewith. The direction of swinging of the boom or arm is governed by the direction of rotation of the motor 43.

- Mounted on the outer end of the boom or arm 35 is the load carrying member or lift fork 48 and this load carrying member or lift fork includes a load supporting back wall or plate 49. Associated with the back wall or plate 49 are the forwardly projecting fork tines 50. The fork tines 50 can be associated with back wall or plate 49, in any preferred or conventional manner, but as illustrated, the upper and lower longitudinal edges of the back plate are provided with flanges 51 and the fork tines 50 are provided with brackets 52 which engage over these flanges. Thus, the fork tines can be readily replaced when necessary.

Carried by the back wall or plate 49 is a rearwardly extending bracket 53 which can be in the nature of a casting and this bracket includes a front wall 54 which can be welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the back plate 49. The front wall 54 is provided with rearwardly extending bearing arms 55 and these arms are mounted for turning movement on a vertical shaft 56 mounted on the end of the boom. The upper bearing arm 53 has bolted or otherwise secured thereto a large sprocket wheel 57 and trained about this wheel is a drive sprocket chain 58. The drive sprocket chain 58 is in turn trained about a sprocket wheel 59 of small diameter to the out-put shaft 60 of the reversible motor 42.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that a travelling fork carriage 14 is provided movable back and forth transversely of the truck T and that this carriage in turn carries for swinging movement a boom 35. The boom can be swung either at direct right-angles to either side of the carriage parallel therewith or to any angle to the carriage. The outer end of the boom in turn carries for swinging movement the load carrying member or lift fork 4-8. The lift fork can be swung to any angle to the boom and on either side of the boom.

Now by referring to FIGURE 4, it can be seen that the boom can be swung at right-angles to the carriage and that the load carrying member or lift fork 48 can be positioned parallel with the boom and at right-angles to the carriage on either side thereof. Hence, the lift fork 48 can be positioned laterally of the truck at either side thereof and moved back and forth for aisle loading and unloading. It is also obvious that the lift fork can be swung outwardly directly in front of the truck, and this is best shown in FIGURE 2. It is to be noted in this position that the boom 35 can be disposed parallel with the carriage and the main or mounting plate 10.

Thus a simple and efiicient means has been provided for permitting the loading and unloading of a fork lift truck from either side of the truck, directly in front of the truck, or to any angle relative to the truck.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

' l. In an industrial truck having a lift elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said truck in oluding a main plate rigidly asoeiated with the lifting elevator for movement therewith and extending across the truck transversely, a load supporting carriage slidably mounted on the main plate, means for moving the carriage back and forth across the plate from one side thereof to the other, a boom pivotally mounted on the carriage, means for swinging the boom on the carriage to either side therof substantially parallel with the plate and carriage or at any angle relative to the plate and carriage, a load carrying fork pivotally mounted on the outer end of the boom, and means for swinging the load carrying fork on the boom at any angle relative thereto, whereby the carriage, boom and load carrying fork can be manipulated to bring about the positioning of the load carrying fork different distances and angles relative to the truck and plate.

2. In an industrial truck having a lifting elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said truck as defined in claim 1, and said means for moving the carriage back and forth across the plate embodying an endless chain extending across the face of the plate, sprocket wheels rotatably mounted on the plate adjacent to the opposite ends thereof and around which the chain is trained, a reversible motor for moving the chain back and forth and means rigidly securing the carriage to one stretch of the chain.

3. In an industrial truck having a lifting elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said truck as defined in claim 2, and said means for swinging the boom on the carriage including a reversible motor carried by the boom, a drive sprocket actuated by said motor, a sprocket secured to the inner end of the boom at the pivot point thereof and a drive sprocket chain trained about said sprockets.

4. In an industrial truck having a lifting elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said truck as defined in claim 1, and said means for swinging the loading and carrying fork on the boom including a reversible motor carried by the boom, a drive sprocket driven by said motor, a sprocket secured to the inner end of the load carrying fork at its pivot point and a sprocket chain trained about said sprockets.

5. In an industrial truck having a lifting elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said truck including a main plate rigidly associated with the lifting elevatoffor movement therewith and extending transversely across the truck, upper and lower guide tracks rigidly secured to the outer face of said main plate and extending across said main plate, a load supporting carriage having guide rollers mounted in said upper and lowertracks, means for moving the carriage back and forth on said tracks including a reversible motor carried by the main plate and provided with a drive sprocket located between said upper and lower tracks and disposed adjacent to one end of the main plate, an idler sprocket rotatably carried by the main plate and disposed adjacent to the opposite end of the main plate from said motor, with said idler sprocket located between the tracks, a sprocket chain trained about said sprockets, means rigidly securing the carriage to one stretch of said chain, whereby upon movement of the chain back and forth said carriage will be moved back and forth over the face of said plate, a boom pivotally mounted on the carriage for swinging movement in front of the carriage or to either side of the carriage, means for swinging the boom on the carriage to any selected angle, a load carrying fork pivotally mounted on the outer end of the boom and means for swinging the load carrying fork on the boom to any angle relative thereto, whereby, the carriage, boom and load carrying fork can be manipulated to bring about the placing of the load carrying fork different distances and angles relative to the carriage and main plate.

6. In an industrial truck having a lifting elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said'truck including a main plate rigidly associated with the lifting elevator for movement therewith and extending transversely across the truck, a load supporting carriage slidably mounted on the main plate, means for moving the carriage back and forth across the plate from one side thereof to the other, said carriage including outwardly extending top and bottom Walls, a vertically disposed shaft supported by said walls, a swinging boom positioned between said walls and rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for swinging the boom on said shaft including a reversible motor having a drive sprocket, a second sprocket secured to the boom at the axis of said vertical shaft, a sprocket chain connecting saidsprockets, whereby, upon energiz ing of the motor the boom can be swung about the shaft, a load carrying fork pivotally mounted on the outer end of the boom, and means for swinging the load carrying fork on the boom at any angle relative thereto whereby, the carriage, boom and load carrying fork can be manipulated to bring about the placing of the load carrying fork different distances and angles relative to the main plate.

7. In an industrial truck having a lifting elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said truck as defined in claim 6 and said load carrying fork including a back plate, load carrying tines carried by the back plate, rearw-ardly extending bearing brackets rigidly secured to said back plate, the pivot for said load carrying fork including a shaft carried by the outer end of the boom and said bracket being mounted on the shaft and means for swinging the load carrying fork on the boom including a reversible motor, a drive sprocket operatively connected to the motor, a sprocket secured to the bearing bracket at the axis of the shaft and a sprocket chain trained about said sprockets.

8; In an industrial truck having a lift elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said truck as defined in claim 1, and said means for swinging the boom on the carriage including a reversible motor carried by the boom and a drive connection between the motor and the inner end of the boom at the pivot point thereof.

9. In an industrial truck having a lift elevator, a load carrying and manipulating attachment for said truck as defined in claim 1, and said means for swinging the load and carrying fork on the boom including a reversible motor carried by the boom and a driving connection between the motor and the load carrying fork at its pivot point.

'No references cited. 

1. IN AN INDUSTRIAL TRUCK HAVING A LIFT ELEVATOR, A LOAD CARRYING AND MANIPULATING ATTACHMENT FOR SAID TRUCK IN CLUDING A MAIN PLATE RIGIDLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIFTING ELEVATOR FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE TRUCK TRANSVERSELY, A LOAD SUPPORTING CARRIAGE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE MAIN PLATE, MEANS FOR MOVING THE CARRIAGE BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE PLATE FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF TO THE OTHER, A BOOM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE CARRIAGE, MEANS FOR SWINGING THE BOOM ON THE CARRIAGE TO EITHER SIDE THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE PLATE AND CARRIAGE, OR AT ANY ANGLE RELATIVE TO THE PLATE AND CARRIAGE, A LOAD CARRYING FORK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE OUTER END OF THE BOOM, AND MEANS FOR SWINGING THE LOAD CARRYING FORK ON THE BOOM AT ANY ANGLE RELATIVE THERETO, WHEREBY THE CARRIAGE, BOOM AND LOAD CARRYING FORK CAN BE MANIPULATED TO BRING ABOUT THE POSITIONING OF THE LOAD CARRYING FORK DIFFERENT DISTANCES AND ANGLES RELATIVE TO THE TRUCK AND PLATE. 